I call this one “A Lazy Mom’s Trick to Get More Sleep.” I made no-sew, unbelievably simple, shortcut DIY blackout curtains—more of a cheater’s solution than a professional project. It’s fast, effective, and perfect when you need better light control without a big time or money investment.
Why blackout fabric? Although the faux wood blinds in Clara’s room blocked a fair amount of light, I wanted true darkness during the day to encourage longer naps. I bought 5.5 yards of blackout fabric from JoAnn Fabrics—it looked like the white backing often used on roller blinds—and, thanks to a 50% coupon, it cost just $15.
How I Made Blackout Curtains:
- I measured Clara’s existing curtains first so I’d know how much blackout fabric to buy, then headed home with 5.5 yards.
- I washed the fabric despite the “dry clean only” label; the fabric counterwoman advised a cold wash and air-dry, which worked fine.
- I unclipped the two decorative curtain panels from the rod and laid one panel on top of the blackout material on the floor to use as a template.
- I cut two blackout panels to match the size of the existing curtains, one for each side of the window.
- I considered sewing three sides of the blackout fabric to the back of the curtain panels, turning them right-side-out, and finishing the top like a pillow cover, but I didn’t have time.
- With just four minutes before nap time, I chose the quickest approach: I hung the blackout panels behind the existing curtains and clipped them to the rod using ring clips—no sewing required.
- The weight of both fabrics helped them hang smoothly; from the room’s perspective, the curtains looked essentially the same, only much darker when closed.
Here’s a photo of Clara’s room that looks familiar, but now has hidden blackout liners doing the heavy lifting for naps.
I’ll probably go back and sew a few seams when I have time, just to make the liners neater and more secure. For now, though, this quick method works well: Clara’s naps increased from about 45 minutes to roughly 90 minutes over the past two days since I added the liners, and she’s been sleeping more than 12 hours overnight (about 7:30 p.m. to 8 a.m.). She’s always been a good night sleeper, so the blackout curtains were mainly about encouraging longer daytime naps.
In short: investing $15 and 15 minutes resulted in noticeably better daytime sleep. That extra hour in the morning has been a huge help—especially with late nights working on our book. (Fun update: the final manuscript went in very early the morning I installed the curtains—2:14 a.m.—so the timing felt especially rewarding.)
If you want a straightforward, budget-friendly way to improve naps and cut daytime light, this no-sew blackout liner trick is worth trying. It’s fast, reversible, and uses supplies you can find at a fabric or craft store: measure your curtains, buy enough blackout fabric to match their dimensions, wash if necessary, cut to size, and hang behind your existing panels with clips or rings. You can always sew the edges later for a more finished look.
Have you tried any similar shortcuts around the house? I’m always curious which quick fixes end up making the biggest difference—sleep wins are definitely among the best.
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